Colour Night Vision Cameras
Most night vision CCTV cameras are monochrome. That’s primarily for technical reasons, including (but not limited to) technical limitations in terms of what imaging sensors can process.
However, in the last couple of years, imaging sensors that can discern colours even with little ambient lighting have become available. Using a combination of colour-enabled imaging sensors, IR lighting, and advanced video processing techniques, some manufacturers have been able to come up with colour night vision CCTV cameras.
Enhanced surveillance. Being able to discern the colour of a vehicle or of a thief’s clothes can be useful during an investigation.
Caveats:
Colour night vision CCTV cameras can mitigate the effect of low ambient lighting conditions, but cannot fully compensate for the absence of lighting. In total darkness, their images will not be much better than those of a normal IR camera. Consequently, in practice, colour night vision CCTV cameras are used in conjunction with some type of low-intensity ambient light, like street lights or porch lights.
Infrared and Thermal-Imaging Cameras
Most night vision cameras illuminate the target area with their own IR LEDs. This is the cheapest option and is appropriate for almost all usage scenarios.
However, there are CCTV cameras which don’t use their own IR LEDs, but rather amplify the IR light emitted by the objects themselves. These cameras are called thermal-imaging cameras because IR light is emitted by all bodies and warm objects.
Surveillance of areas where direct IR illumination is not possible, or not desirable (e.g. because it can be detected).
Caveats:
Thermal imaging cameras tend to run on the expensive side and their image quality is nowhere near what other camera types can provide. The images tend to be blurry and akin to those that you would see on an old photo negative. They are sharp enough to see what’s happening, but not enough to discern fine details.
Camera Types by Connectivity
Virtually every CCTV camera deployed today is an IP camera. That means it connects to your internal network, just like a computer. The mechanism through which a camera connects to your network has far-reaching consequences in terms of maintenance, performance and security, so it’s a factor that is worth taking into consideration.
Wired CCTV Cameras
Wired CCTV cameras connect to your network through a wired connection, typically an Ethernet cable. This is the cheapest and most straightforward connection type, and (in a rare case of commoditisation), it’s also the fastest one.
The downside is that you have an extra wire to run to your device. That’s one extra maintenance hassle and one more wire which can be cut in order to render the camera useless.
Wired CCTV cameras can be used for any purpose, but wired connections tend to be the first choice for high-quality streams.
Caveats:
There are technical as well as legal limits to how you can run data cables. For example, Ethernet cables work only up to a certain distance (which varies depending on cable type), and there are limits to how much you can bend them.
You also need to ensure that cables are shielded from environmental factors and that they do not present a tripping hazard. At the end of the day, it’s a lot harder than just running a cable from here to there.
Wireless CCTV Cameras
Wireless CCTV cameras are the Wi-Fi-enabled counterpart to wired cameras. They connect to your internal network via Wi-Fi. That means one less cable to run. On the downside, accommodating multiple high-quality streams over a Wi-Fi connection can be taxing in terms of performance.
Wireless CCTV cameras can be used for any purpose. The primary advantage of a wireless CCTV camera installation is convenience and additional resilience since there’s one less cable that can be cut.
Caveats:
Wireless CCTV cameras still need to be powered somehow, which typically means you still need to run a cable to a power socket!
Wire-Free CCTV Cameras
Wire-free CCTV cameras are exactly what the name implies — CCTV cameras that can be deployed and used without using any cables. This typically involves Wi-Fi for data connectivity, and batteries or solar power modules as a power source.
The limited power of these devices puts a cap on the image quality that they can achieve, but their convenience and resilience are hard to match.
Outdoor surveillance, especially in places where running power cables is inconvenient, such as back or front yards.
Caveats:
Monitoring the battery levels of wire-free CCTV cameras is extremely important, especially since — given London’s weather — you cannot always rely on solar chargers.
Camera Types by Features
CCTV cameras have all sorts of features in addition to being able to record images. Some of these features, such as the ability to recognise vehicle number plates, are distinctive enough that cameras are bought specifically for that feature.
ANPR/LPR Cameras
Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR), sometimes called License Plate Recognition (LPR), is a video processing feature that allows cameras to automatically recognise and record the number plates of vehicles that pass in front of the camera.
ANPR CCTV cameras tend to be on the pricey side because the image processing software needs high-quality images to work. They typically come in bullet or dome form factors.
Parking space access logging and control. Unless they are integrated with a centralised access logging and/or control system, ANPR doesn’t provide much value.
Caveats:
ANPR CCTV cameras don’t have 100% accuracy, and their accuracy depends on proper installation and ambient lighting conditions.
Facial Recognition Cameras
Facial recognition CCTV cameras are equipped with the ability to match faces in a picture against a set of known faces in a database.
Although a lot of progress has been made in this area, facial recognition is still not quite on par with what you see on CSI. CCTV cameras have reasonable, but far from perfect accuracy. They can make the job of security or reception personnel easier but are no replacement for either.
Facial recognition is quite demanding in terms of computational power, so these cameras tend to be fairly expensive, too.
Facial recognition CCTV cameras are primarily used to flag high-profile individuals, such as VIP guests or people who have been banned from an organisation’s premises.
Caveats:
Facial recognition accuracy is far from 100% reliable and can vary significantly, even when examining the same subjects.
Audio and Two-Way Audio CCTV Cameras
Security cameras have traditionally been video-only, but this doesn’t have to be the case. If audio recordings are relevant for security purposes, you can deploy audio-enabled CCTV cameras.
Some CCTV cameras also have speakers and can relay your voice. These are called two-way audio CCTV cameras.
Enhanced surveillance, primarily. Two-way audio CCTV cameras can also be used as intercom replacements. They are also used to enhance the security of security-sensitive entrance areas by allowing security personnel to speak to someone who requests access without granting them physical access to the area.
Caveats:
A two-way audio CCTV camera can reveal what’s happening at the other end of the wire (in the surveillance room) while the audio circuit is open. Make sure to factor that into your security strategy and instruct your staff accordingly!
Indoor and Outdoor Cameras
CCTV cameras can be deployed in almost every imaginable circumstance. CCTV cameras are operating in space and Antarctica, but not every CCTV camera can work everywhere.
Outdoor CCTV cameras are designed specifically to protect against moisture (very important in London!) and to function even while under direct sunlight or during cold winter days. But none of this is free: outdoor cameras are bulkier, heavier, and more expensive than the equivalent indoor model.
CCTV cameras designed for indoor use dispense with some of the protective measures. This makes them lighter and cheaper.
As a general rule, you want to choose the right camera for each environment. While an outdoor CCTV camera will work fine indoors, there is rarely a reason to pay extra for an outdoor camera and deploy it indoors. Similarly, a camera for indoor use won’t last long when deployed outside.
There are indoor environments where more rugged cameras may be necessary though. Busy industrial floors or indoor swimming pools, for example, are not typical indoor environments. Cameras can be exposed to high levels of vibration, dust or moisture. In this case, you may want to look into camera models designed specifically for industrial or other special indoor environments.
We know – this is a lot of information on CCTV camera types. But don’t worry – you don’t have to memorise it all. You just have to find the perfect CCTV camera installers to help you make an informed choice. Get in touch with us and schedule your FREE, no-obligation on-site survey.
Related services: CCTV Installation, Wireless CCTV installation, Cable installation, Data cabling installation
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